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Spring Admissions Housing Info

Students admitted to begin at JMU in the Spring 2025 semester should sign their housing contract on the Online Housing System beginning November 1, 2024. 

Students who sign their housing contract by December 16, 2024, can expect to receive a spring housing assignment on December 17, 2024.

First Year Admission Housing Info

We can guarantee that all first-year students with a contract will be housed, housing experiences will be staffed and all spaces will be cared for, serviced, and more than adequate for student living.

Congratulations! The Office of Residence Life welcomes all incoming first-year students!

All first-year students are required to live in university residence halls for the entirety of their first academic year at James Madison University (fall and spring semesters). First-year students who join JMU in the spring will be required to live on campus only for the spring semester, but are encouraged to consider living on again next year.

Exceptions to the first-year residency requirement may be made for:

  • First-year students who commute daily within a 60-mile radius from the permanent home address of their parents or legal guardians as indicated on their application for admission to JMU.
  • First-year students who are 21 years of age or older.
  • Prior active duty military service.
  • Married first-year students.

Requests for exceptions must be made in writing to Karen Sampson. All requests must be made by the incoming student and must come from their @JMU account.

The One Book is comprised of several steps you need to complete, including signing your First Year Housing Contract, to prepare for your transition to JMU.

New first-year students for the Fall of 2025 will be able to access the Online Housing System in April 2025. Students can access the Online Housing System within 24–48 hours of paying their Admissions deposit. The deadline to sign the First Year Housing Contract will be May 31, 2025.  Students who sign their contract by the deadline will be assigned to a room by August 1, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

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General Residence Life Questions

A semester’s room rent for any room type in our residence halls is $3140*.
The semester’s room rent for a space in the Apartments on Grace is $3640*.

You can expect these amounts to increase slightly next year. Students who live on campus are also required to have a meal plan, it is important to include that cost in your budget.

*the following information is for the 2024-2025 academic year

  • Yes, all residence halls are coed. Most first year halls are assigned same-gender floors or sections.
  • All bathrooms are designated as female, male or gender inclusive.
  • Gender specific bathrooms may not be used by the opposite gender.
  • Gender inclusive bathrooms are single-occupancy.
  • All first year students are required to live on-campus
  • Exceptions to this requirement include first year students admitted as commuter students and first year students that receive a residency waiver approval from Residence Life.
  • While returning students are not guaranteed housing subsequent years, there is upperclass housing on campus for sophomores, juniors and seniors.
  • Each year we are able to house approximately 35% of the sophomore class, so you should definitely think about living on campus after your first year!
  • Almost all first-year students will be assigned to rooms in halls that are exclusively first-year.
  • Paul Jennings Hall and the New Village Residence Hall houses both first-year and upper-class students.
    • First-year students live on floors 1,2 and 3
    • Upperclass students live on floors 4 and 5
First Year Housing Questions

We have five residential areas on campus. In those areas, the following halls will be available to first-year students:

  • Bluestone: Gifford, Logan, Hoffman, Spotswood, and Wayland*
  • Hillside: Bell, Hillside, and McGraw-Long
  • Lake: Eagle and Shorts
  • Skyline: Chesapeake, Chandler, Shenandoah, and floors 1-3 of Paul Jennings
  • Tree Houses: Cedar, Dogwood, Magnolia, and Oak
  • Village: Chappelear, Dingledine, Frederikson, Garber, Hanson, Huffman, Weaver, White, and the New Village Residence Hall

*Bluestone Buildings subject to change

Incoming first-year students will have the opportunity to apply online.

  • About 95% of our first year halls feature community or suite style bathrooms.
  • If you have a medical condition that requires special accommodations, please download the Housing Accommodation Form.

First-Year Housing Accommodation Form Deadline: June 13, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

  • Rooms vary from hall to hall and sometimes from room to room within each hall.
  • Floor plans and more information about each hall can be found on our Res Hall Descriptions page.
  • Explore our virtual tours for a better look inside our rooms!
  • Bedrooms are not cleaned by university staff.
  • Common areas and community bathrooms are cleaned regularly.
  • Private suite baths are not cleaned by university staff. Remember: if a bathroom is behind a locked door the housekeeper does not clean it.
  • Each hall has one or more laundry rooms with JACard (Flex, not dining dollars) operated washers and dryers. All machines also accept quarters.
  • All halls have high efficiency (HE) washers that recommend special HE detergent.

Below is the list of which halls will now have to use either the Speed Queen App or quarters to activate a washer or dryer. Instructional signage is posted in those laundry rooms

You should be able to request notifications about when a cycle is almost complete through the speed queen app or via text message.

  • TreeHouses
  • Hillside Area
  • Lake Area
  • Gifford Hall
  • Hoffman Hall
  • Paul Jennings Hall
  • Shenandoah Hall
  • Wayland Hall
  • Apartments on Grace, Bluestone Residence Halls, Hillside Residence Halls, Skyline Residence Halls, Treehouses, and The Row all have A/C throughout the buildings.
  • The New Village Residence Hall will have A/C throughout the building.
  • All Village halls, Eagle hall, and Shorts Hall suite areas and TV lounges have AC.

First-Year Housing Accommodation Form Deadline: June 13, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

  • All beds measure 36” wide by 80” long, commonly called Twin XL.
  • If you are over 6’8” and are interested in a longer bed, please contact us at res-life@jmu.edu.
  • How high a bed can be raised and/or lofted depends on the hall. You can check your res hall's bed type and details can be found on the Move-In Page or in your res hall's full description.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 540-568-4663 or res-life@jmu.edu. 

During the summer, our offices are open;
Monday through Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed from noon – 1:00 p.m. for lunch
Fridays 8:00 a.m. to noon.

If you are no longer planning to attend JMU, please immediately complete the Admissions Cancellation Notice, which is located on the Registrar's website.

Roommate Questions

Roommate Selection will begin in early April and go until mid-June, on the Online Housing System for students to begin searching and selecting a roommate.

2025 Deadline: July 1, 2025

 There are two ways you can search for people:   

  1. You can search for people who have similar answers to the Lifestyle Questions by selecting "Browse Matching" from the Roommate Group Management page. This will bring up roommates who answered similarly to you. The higher the percentage, the closer your answers were on the Lifestyle Questions.
  2. If you already know who you would like to room with, you can search for them using their JMU eID. Select "Roommate Search by Details" to search for your roommate with their eID.

If you find someone you think could be a good fit for you as a roommate, you can send them a message through the Online Housing System. This message will be sent to their JMU email. If you determine that you want to live together, you must be in a Roommate Group with them by the roommate deadline, for it to be guaranteed.

2025 Deadline: July 1, 2025

PLEASE NOTE:
You cannot be in more than one Roommate Group.
You cannot create a new Roommate Group if you are already in one.
You will have to leave your original Roommate Group in order to join or create a new Roommate Group.

Students are encouraged to, but not required to, select a roommate. If you do not have a roommate by the roommate selection deadline, ResLife will assign you a room with another student who does not have a roommate. The housing assignment will be made based on the compatibility of the two students (determined in your questionnaire completed during signing your contract) as well as where the students ranked their living preferences.

  • While first-year students can select their roommate(s), they cannot select suitemates.

While you can select your roommate(s), you cannot select suitemates.

  • Room capacities vary within halls and from hall to hall.
  • Most rooms are doubles and house two students.
    • A minimal number of specific rooms are designated as singles (most singles are available only with a Housing Accommodation) and some are designated as triples.
  • Room rates are the same for all residence hall rooms.
  • While first-year students can select their roommate(s), they cannot select suitemates.
  • During the first week of the semester, roommates are required to complete a roommate agreement and are given tips and strategies for getting along. Roommates discuss typical living issues such as cleanliness, studying, and borrowing items and complete the roommate agreement stating their decisions.
  • Hall staff encourages residents to address concerns directly with roommates initially. If personal communications fail, Resident Advisers (RAs) and Hall Directors (HDs) intervene and help mediate a roommate agreement for peaceful coexistence. Students are encouraged to resolve conflicts.
  • Although room changes are not encouraged, a change can be made (if space is available) by submitting a Room Change Request Form and the approval of the Housing Office three weeks after the beginning of the semester.
Live on Again! Contract for 2026-2027 Questions
  • Students will have the option at a later date to sign a Live On Again! Contract for on-campus housing for 2026-2027.
  • This contract guarantees them a space in one of our upper-class residence halls for their second year at JMU.
  • Students may sign this contract through the same Online Housing System that they used to sign their 2025-2026 first-year housing contract.
  • Approximately 6,700 of JMU’s 22,000 full-time undergraduate students are housed in University-sponsored residence halls. The remaining students live at home or in nearby apartments.
Move-in Questions
  • First-year students are expected to check in on their assigned move-in day.
  • Only students coming with an approved organization, such as the marching band, a fall sport, etc. will be allowed early check-in.
  • If you are a member of one of those groups, their group leader will contact you with those details.

Storage Scholars

Student Storage, Made Easy
Storage Scholars is the preferred moving, storage & shipping partner of JMU.

Make Your First-Year Move-In Day Unforgettable

Why spend this special day waiting in endless lines and hauling heavy items from your car to your dorm room? Skip the frenzy of last-minute shopping at department stores. Let Storage Scholars make your move-in day a breeze!

How Ship to School Works at James Madison University 

  1. Ship Boxes from Home: Send Storage Scholars your own boxes or they can ship you a kit of empty boxes to make packing easier. FedEx can even pick up from your house!

  2. Buy Online and Ship: Shop online and put the Storage Scholars facility as your shipping address.

  3. They Receive & Notify You: Each package is scanned in with a photo and you get a text and email confirmation of its arrival.

  4. Delivery In Room: Their team will deliver everything to your room on or before your move-in day this fall.

How Summer Storage & Moving Works:

  1. We Supply: We supply all the essentials to pack and safely store all your items.

  2. We Pick Up: A fellow student will come to grab your things at a time that is convenient for you!

  3. We Deliver: When you are ready to come back to campus, we will have your items delivered and waiting for you in your new home.

SEE HOW IT WORKS

  • Carts are not available in all buildings and availability is not guaranteed.
  • Hand carts are an excellent item to bring with you on Move-in Day!
  • Harper Allen-Lee, Hoffman, Wayland, Eagle, Shorts, Chandler, Chesapeake, Paul Jennings, the New Village Residence Hall, and Shenandoah have elevators.
Things to Bring Questions
  • A bed, desk, desk chair, dresser and wardrobe/closet area are provided for each student.
  • Each room also has overhead lighting, data jacks, roller shades/mini-blinds and cable hook-up (not including cable cords) are provided.
  • Room Contents Key
  • Basic purchases include bed linens, towels, school supplies and storage bins.
  • Please visit our Move-In page for a complete list of what to bring and what NOT to bring.
  • Lofts can be purchased or built.
  • All lofts must comply with Residence Life specifications, which can be found on our Hall Policies page under “Loft Beds”).
  • Residence Life currently partners with College Savers and MicroFridge.
  • Students interested in purchasing desk hutches can visit College Savers website for ordering information.
    • Orders will be sent via Fed-Ex to the central mail room.
  • Residence Life does not currently partner with any loft, carpet/rug, or linen rental companies. 
  • Wall types differ from hall to hall. Wall types for each hall can be found via our hall descriptions.
    • For cinderblock: use poster putty (the white, NOT blue kind) or hooks with non-damaging adhesive (i.e. Command Hooks)
    • For drywall: use thumb tacks/push pins.
  • DO NOT use duct tape on any walls, doors, or furniture.
  • Failure to use the appropriate adhesives on walls can result in fines at move-out at the end of the year.
  • In single and double-bedroom spaces, one mini refrigerator (up to 5 cubic feet) per student is permitted. 
  • If you live in the Village, one mini refrigerator is also permitted in the suite common area.
  • No microwaves are permitted in residence hall rooms, but they are available in hall lounges or kitchens.
  • Microfridges (refrigerator/microwave combo) are allowed through our partnership with MicroFridge only. You may not bring your own. The units through MicroFridge are specifically approved by our Business Operations team for safety.
  • Traditional extension cords are prohibited.
  • Please use a UL approved power strip/circuit breaker for additional electrical outlets.
  • These must be plugged directly into the wall. Lamps with an outlet in the base and bed risers with electrical outlets are prohibited.
  • Yes, each hall office has at least one vacuum that students may check out during office hours.
  • Mini-vacuums and hand vacuums are great to bring with you.
Policy Questions

A room adequately accommodates the persons to whom it is contracted and a few guests. Overcrowding rooms is a safety concern and an issue of community welfare. Residents may have no more than one guest per resident per night; overnight capacity in the bedroom may not exceed one guest per resident.

  • If students plan to have overnight guests, they must obtain an agreement from their roommate in advance. Roommates must have full use of their room at all times and must give consent to overnight guests. If roommates do not agree on having an overnight guest, the right of the student who does not want the guest takes priority.
  • Guests may stay overnight in student bedrooms only (residents and guests may not sleep in suite rooms, apartment living rooms, lounges, or other public areas) and must use gender-appropriate or gender-neutral bathrooms.
  • Guests may not stay on campus overnight for more than two consecutive nights without special permission from the hall director and may not prolong a visit by moving to another room.
  • Hosts are responsible at all times for the activities and actions of their guests. Guests who violate any residence hall or university policies may be required to leave and the host held accountable. Damages attributed to guests may be charged to the hosting students.
  • Hosts may not give their room key or JMU Access Card (JAC) to their guest. Guests are only allowed to visit their host, and are not permitted to wander the halls or visit other residents or rooms unless they are explicitly invited and escorted by their host.
  • Students may not have overnight guests during final examination weeks.
  • Roommates or other hall residents who believe their rights are being violated or that they are being imposed upon should first discuss the matter with the other party. If this does not lead to a resolution of the problem, residents should contact their RA or residence hall director.

A room adequately accommodates the persons to whom it is contracted and a few guests. Overcrowding rooms is a safety concern and an issue of community welfare. Residents may have no more than one guest per resident per night; overnight capacity in the bedroom may not exceed one guest per resident.

  • If students plan to have overnight guests, they must obtain an agreement from their roommate in advance. Roommates must have full use of their room at all times and must give consent to overnight guests. If roommates do not agree on having an overnight guest, the right of the student who does not want the guest takes priority.
  • Guests may stay overnight in student bedrooms only (residents and guests may not sleep in suite rooms, apartment living rooms, lounges, or other public areas) and must use gender-appropriate or gender-neutral bathrooms.
  • Guests may not stay on campus overnight for more than two consecutive nights without special permission from the hall director and may not prolong a visit by moving to another room.
  • Hosts are responsible at all times for the activities and actions of their guests. Guests who violate any residence hall or university policies may be required to leave and the host held accountable. Damages attributed to guests may be charged to the hosting students.
  • Hosts may not give their room key or JMU Access Card (JAC) to their guests. Guests are only allowed to visit their host and are not permitted to wander the halls or visit other residents or rooms unless they are explicitly invited and escorted by their host.
  • Students may not have overnight guests during final examination weeks.
  • Roommates or other hall residents who believe their rights are being violated or that they are being imposed upon should first discuss the matter with the other party. If this does not lead to a resolution of the problem, residents should contact their RA or residence hall director.

To protect the general health and safety of hall residents, pets are not allowed in any university-owned or university-operated buildings. The only exception to this policy is fish that are kept as pets. Students found with pets other than the exceptions in university-owned or university-operated housing will have 24 hours to remove the pets and may be subject to a fine of $50 per day if they do not remove the pets promptly. A follow-up inspection will occur to verify the removal.

Service animals are permitted in residence halls and other university buildings. Assistance animals approved by the Office of Disability Services are permitted in university-owned or university-operated housing only.

Under the federal Fair Housing rules, individuals have a right to have an Emotional Support Animal in their dwelling, even in buildings that prohibit pets. The US Department of Housing has determined that university housing is subject to the same regulations for Emotional Support Animals as other types of homes and apartments. Fair Housing rules and case law affirm that students living in university housing have rights as emotional support animal owners, just as they would if they were living in non-university housing. 

  • Students must be approved through the Housing Accommodation process to have an Emotional Support Animal.  For information about that process, please see the Housing Contract Release Requests page.
  • Students approved for an Emotional Support Animal are only allowed to have the animal in their room and to take the animal outside to relieve themselves if appropriate. Students can only bring their ESA to another student’s room with the permission of all residents of that room. ESAs are not the same as service animals, which are permitted to go anywhere with their owner.
  • If a student becomes aware of an Emotional Support Animal in areas where one should not be, they should inform Hall Staff so they can follow up on the concern.
  • Universities are not permitted to restrict where individuals with ESAs can live. Therefore, it is not possible to have some buildings reserved for students with ESAs and others without ESAs.
  • If a student has a severe allergy to animals and cannot reside near a student with an ESA, they should go through the Housing Accommodation process so the Housing staff can work with them on their room assignment. Information about that process can be found on the Housing Contract Release Requests page.
  • If a student witnesses aggressive or disturbing behavior by an ESA, they should inform Hall Staff so this behavior can be appropriately addressed.
  • No, however, there are quiet hours and courtesy hours.
  • There are numerous policies and regulations which govern the community living in the residence halls, including rules related to alcohol, illegal drugs, pets, cooking, etc.
  • A full list of policies with explanations is available on our website under Hall Policies.
  • Although we know students come to college with ideas and expectations about alcohol and drug use, we have policies that are enforced in the residence halls.
  • We neither condone nor ignore violations of university policies.
  • Our staff members are trained to respond to a variety of behavioral incidents and conduct duty tours of their respective buildings several times each evening.
  • In order to be effective, we encourage residents to report where and when violations occur.

  • All halls close for Winter Break.

  • Students needing to remain at JMU for Thanksgiving and/or Spring break should indicate this during the Residential Area Preference Process.

  • Chandler, Chesapeake, Shenandoah, Paul Jennings, Eagle Hall, and the New Village Residence Hall remain open for those two breaks.

  • You may leave your belongings locked in your room for all breaks until the end of the spring semester.

  • Check the JMU academic calendar with dates for all breaks.

Computer and Telephone Questions
  • Yes, residential students have access to MyResNet wifi throughout their residence hall, including their bedroom. MyResNet access has already been included in your student fees.
  • All residential students are also provided with a wired MyResNet connection in their bedrooms. This enables your computer to access the internet and the campus network from your room. MyResNet access has already been included in your student fees.
  • You can access more information about computing at JMU on our Wireless Internet & TV page or with JMU IT.
  • Please note: Wireless routers are prohibited in residence halls. Wireless printers are also discouraged.
  • Yes, courtesy phones are located in each residence hall for students to place on-campus, local, and toll-free calls. Students can use calling cards with 1-800 numbers on these phones as well.
  • Residents may request an individual residence hall room phone by working with JMU Telecom and submitting a Student Telephone Installation Form found on their website.
  • Parents with concerns about their students can call the 24-hour campus emergency number. Campus police will respond to calls with appropriate counseling, and medical or law enforcement assistance.
Miscellaneous Questions
  • Students can change their meal plans through the Student Center in MyMadison.
    • Under the finances section, select “other financials” from the drop-down menu.
    • If a student tries to make a change to their meal plan and it tells them to see Card Services, this means changes are not allowed to be made at that time.
  • If students cannot change their meal plan in MyMadison, they will need to go to Card Services in Student Success Center once school starts to make changes. There is a time frame for students to do this that can be found on their website.
  • Terms and conditions of all meal plan options, including payment/credits for changing options, may be obtained from JMU Dining Services.
  • If you have any further questions about meal plans, contact card services at 540-568-6446 or cardsrvc@jmu.edu.

  • Yes, the Student Learning Initiatives (SLI) Center is run through Residence Life and has many programs to help students feel comfortable in their surroundings, acclimate themselves to the campus, and succeed academically.

  • Resident Advisers (RAs) in the first-year halls also present numerous programs on transition topics/issues. For students who are struggling with homesickness, the first and best person a student can talk to is their Resident Adviser (RA). The RA is an upper-class student who has the experience to talk with students and the training to make a referral if necessary.

  • In addition, there are many offices on campus, including the Counseling Center, the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS), the University Career Center, and the Student Activities and Involvement Office (and others) that offer programs and resources that will help students make this transition.

  • Student Org Night is held in the early Fall and Spring semesters as a resource for students to become aware of all the organizations and clubs on campus.

  • There are two planned fire drills in each hall per semester. These are an important part of our safety program.
  • False fire alarms are a concern to staff and residents alike. Much effort is put into communicating the importance of community respect for property and other residents.
  • All residence halls close on the last day of exams in May for non-graduating students.
  • Students should plan to check out of their hall within 24 hours of their last exam.
  • At the end of the year, be sure to check out our Check Out & Move Out page for more information.
  • The Office of Residence Life is not able to store students’ items over the summer.
  • There are private companies you can use to store items near campus.

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Office of Residence Life
Huffman Hall
MSC 2401
200 Huffman
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807